Former UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez pleaded not guilty to attempted murder and several gun-related charges on Friday.
Velasquez was arrested on Feb. 28 after he allegedly chased and fired a gun at a car with three people inside, including Harry Goularte, the man accused of molestation of Velasquez’s four-year-old son. Goularte was not hit, however, his stepfather Paul Bender was shot in the shoulder, allegedly fired by Velasquez. Goularte was at that time out on bail after being arrested for "lewd acts with a minor under the age of 14." Goularte was released from jail on Feb. 25 without bail.
The 40-year-old former UFC legend has been denied bail on three separate occasions. Velasquez entered his plea on Friday at the Santa Clara County Hall of Justice in San Jose, California. He is set for a pre-trial hearing on Sept. 26. The appeal of his denial of bail remains pending in appellate court. He is also scheduled for an in-camera motion hearing on Aug. 29.
Velasquez's defense attorneys continue to go against the DA’s plan to not call Goularte as a witness. “Harry Goularte was fundamental and critical to what he observed and how that investigation against Mr. Cain Velasquez happened,” Renee Hessling said. "To say that he should just be completely excised from this equation and pretend that he does not exist and just completely dismiss his presence or what type of role he has in that, I think is a fiction. I don’t think that that is practical. I think it’s fundamentally unfair to Mr. Velasquez."
In the upcoming Aug. 29 hearing, the matter regarding Goularte not being a witness will be discussed. Velasquez's attorney Mark Geragos claimed, "They're trying to desperately run away from the fact that the system failed Cain. They don't want to get into that. They want to try a case that's divorced from reality."
The former UFC champion's minor relative told police that Goularte brought them inside the bathroom of a daycare center and inappropriately touched their genitals. The child said Goularte told them not to share with anyone what happened and threatened them that this incident might happen a hundred times. The child additionally revealed to the police that they saw Goularte go into the bathroom with other kids.
The daycare is owned by Goularte's mother, both firmly denied any accusations. Meanwhile, Velasquez's family has also filed a negligence and sexual battery lawsuit against the owner of the daycare center. Goularte pleaded guilty to his criminal charge in June and is set on Sept. 20 for his next appearance in court.
